Gunstock



March 30, 1954 R. H. ARNOLD 4 GUNSTOCK Filed June 5, 1950 INVENTOR fall .5; 41720!!! 1 BY M,%%9W

ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 30, 1954 EUNITED STATE OFFICE;

1 1 Claim.

I The present invention relates to guns and more particularly to an improved gripping means for a ,-"stock for a fire arm designed to be fired from the shoulder.:

The effectiveness and comfort with which a fire arm is used depends in large measure upon the firmness with which it is held by the operator during sighting and firing. Numerous efforts have been made to provide formations or attach" ments for the hand used in firing the gun to facilitate a firm grip and thus improve and promote control over the gun. None of these prior formations and attachments has provided a real solution to the problem and, while a number of different types are on the market, the selection of one type or another is a matter of personal appeal rather than soundness or advantage of design.

One of the most popular devices provided for facilitating and improving control over a gun is the so-called pistol grip. The pistol grip affords the marksman a formation to be gripped by the hand used in firing but the pistol grip is merely a convenient holding means and does not provide any actual support.

I have found that the stability of a gun and the marksmans control over it can be vastly improved by providing a stock formation which not only offers a comfortable and convenient gripping surface but at the same time affords a support or rest for the hand used in firing.

To this end, the present invention contemplates the provision of a gripping means on a gun stock which constitutes a true hook having outwardly flared gripping surfaces on three sides.

This construction differs significantly in structure and function from the conventional straight sided pistol grip which it is designed to replace. In the former there is provided a rest to position the hand so that gripping is more effective as the pressure of the operators hand increases whereas in the latter the position of the hand in gripping the stock is not controlled.

Further, the improved grip positively positions the hand with respect to the trigger and the longitudinal axis of the gun. When the improved grip is used, the hand can assume only one predetermined position, namely, the position in which the hand is most advantageously placed with respect to the trigger and the body of the gun. When the hand is placed in this position, the outwardly flared surfaces of the lower portion of the grip effectively prevent the hand from slipping during any phase of the operation of the gun including sighting, firing and recoil.

Since the improved grip prevents random positioning of the marksmans hand on the gun and random or accidental movement after it is so positioned, the gun is always quickly and automatically brought into correct firing position.

Accordingly, it is the principal purpose and object of the present invention to provide an improved gun stock which permits a fire arm to be held rigidly and securely by the marksman.

It is a further object to provide a holding and gripping means for the fire arm which is an integral part of the gun stock.

It is a further object to provide a gun stock having a gripping surface and rest for the hand used in firing.

It is a further object to provide a gun stock having a combined grip and hand rest and which may be readily applied to existing guns.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds in connection with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a fire arm equipped with the improved stock showing the position of the operators hand on the stock;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side view of the gun stock;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary bottom elevation of the gun stock; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of the gun stock.

Referring now more particularly to the draw ings, In designates generally a gun designed to be fired from the shoulder such as a rifle, shot gun, carbine or the like. The gun It is provided with a trigger ll, trigger guard I 2, and stock I 3 in accordance with conventional practice. My invention relates to the stock l3 and particularly to the gripping means or hook I l which forms a continuation of and is integral with stock I 3.

As best shown in Figures 2 through 4, the hook 14 has an outwardly curving forward surface l5, outwardly curving symmetrical side surfaces I6 and a curved bottom surface H.

The hook and the main stock body may be of one piece construction, but I prefer to terminate the main stock body at a surface It! as shown in Figures 2 and 4. The outwardly flared surfaces below surface I8 may be formed from a single piece of wood, plastic, or metal or from a series of wood, plastic or metal layers or laminae I9, 20, 2! and a cap 22 as shown in Figures 2 and 4. If desired, these laminae or layers may be of various colors to provide a decorative effect and improve the appearance of the gun. In the illustrated form of construction, layers I 9, 20 and 2| are attached to the stock body as by screws 23 which are covered by cap 22 which in turn is positioned by a hidden screw or pin 24 and secured to the layer 2| by any suitable bonding agent. As best seen in Figure 4 the outwardly flaring sides l6 and the concave forward edge 15 are all smoothly blended to form a smooth continuous peripheral ledge or support in a single plane, for example the plane of layer 2|, which is substantially parallel to the barred or line of fire of the rifle and which provides a convenient rest or support for the lowermost edge of the firing hand, as shown in Figure 1.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the rearward portion of the hook is tapered to a point 25 which is flush with the stock body. To assure absolute rigidity of the attachment to the stock body of the components of the hook below surface 18, the rear surface of layers 19, 29, and 2| are extended into a recess in the stock body as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2.

The position of the operators hand on the gun stock is shown in Figure 1. It will be seen that the little finger encircles the forward curved surface and a portion of the near curved surface of the hook, while the heel of the hand engages a curved surface on the far side of the hook. The gun is securely held against the users shoulder and the trigger finger remains free to operate the trigger. It will be appreciated that the length of the stock between the hook and the trigger may be varied in accordance with the measurements of the hand of the operator.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claim are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

In a gun having a stock adapted to bear against the shoulder of a user, and a trigger, a gripping part on said stock adjacent said trigger having an angulated under surface extending downwardly and away from said trigger; a substantially vertically downwardly extending portion at an end of said angulated surface spaced from said trigger; a forwardly curved front edge on said portion forming a smoothly curved continuation with said angulated surface; a laminated element secured to the underside of said downwardly extending portion having a curved forward edge merging with said curved front edge to form a concave front surface opened toward said trigger, and outwardly flaring sides on said element merging with the lower edge of said portion to form a smoothly curved continuation of said portion and said front curved edge, defining a continuous peripheral ledge substantially parallel to the line of fire to provide a peripheral support for the lowermost side of the firing hand and eliminate undue gripping pressure by the firing hand to hold the rifle. 1

ROLLO H. ARNOLD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

